Focusing issues with my Sony A7rii

[busterbboy]

Hi all, 

I have a Sony Alpha a7Rii, with a Zeiss Batis 25mm lens.

I've noticed an embarrassingly large number of important shots are completely out of focus. This is truly awful - I should be able to use the camera like a point-and-shoot in busy situations!

I was using the camera in manual exposure mode, autofocus set to AF-C, in (I believe) wide mode.

Okay, it's really not my day - for reasons unknown I cannot upload examples of out-of-focus shots! So they are shot at different shutter speeds (125, 1/400, 1/500); different ISO (1600, 500) and different apertures (mostly wide) Indoors and outdoor shots. The bad photos are completely out of focus in every zone. Some shots worked, in focus as they were meant to be.

This was a funeral, I was asked to take photos and I'm truly horrified.

Please, any suggestions more than welcome!

 

[XKAES]

A couple of clarifying questions.

If you were in MANUAL exposure mode, how were you determining the correct exposure settings?

Since you wanted a P&S camera,, why were you shooting in MANUAL exposure more?

Were the exposures OK -- even though out-of-focus?

If you were looking through the viewfinder was the image in focus when you pressed the shutter release?  Did you see the GREEN IN FOCUS LED light up? 

Is your camera set for RELEASE SHUTTER EVEN WHEN OUT OF FOCUS?  If so, set it for RELEASE ONLY WHEN IN FOCUS.  See your camera's manual.

Do you normally get out-of-focus images?

 

[busterbboy]

I find Manual exposure easy to get the right exposure, by adjusting shutter speed and iris.

Once I've set the correct exposure, I would expect to just press the shutter and get an in-focus image. Some shots were in focus, some weren't. These shots were next to each other. The exposures were fine.

Indoors and outside, complete out of focus.

For some reason I cannot upload the files. The images are under 1000kb.

Puzzled!

 

[busterbboy]

Could it be a problem with the sensor?

 

[busterbboy]

36 minutes ago, XKAES said:

If you were looking through the viewfinder was the image in focus when you pressed the shutter release?  Did you see the GREEN IN FOCUS LED light up? 

Yes, but the image always looks in focus on the led screen when the camera is in AF-C mode. I didn't see the green in focus led - I don't believe this model has one?

[XKAES]

Your camera must have some sort of indicator in the viewfinder to indicate when the image is in focus.  You need to check your manual -- and pay attention to it.

Your camera also has different focusing settings (NOT Single, Continuous & Manual), but where it focuses in the scene, such as MATRIX, SPOT, AREA, etc.).  You need to check your manual to make sure your camera is focusing on the subject you want it to focus on.

Last, you need to go into your set-up menus and set your camera to ONLY ALLOW THE SHUTTER TO FIRE WHEN THE SUBJECT IS IN FOCUS.  To do that, read your manual.  If you don't set that, then the camera will always fire when you press the button -- whether or NOT the subject is in focus.

Edited February 12, 2023 by XKAES

[busterbboy]

47 minutes ago, XKAES said:

Your camera must have some sort of indicator in the viewfinder to indicate when the image is in focus.  You need to check your manual -- and pay attention to it.

Hmmm - I'm not sure the A7Rii has that!

 

49 minutes ago, XKAES said:

Your camera also has different focusing settings (NOT Single, Continuous & Manual), but where it focuses in the scene, such as MATRIX, SPOT, AREA, etc.).  You need to check your manual to make sure your camera is focusing on the subject you want it to focus on.

 

I think I mentioned I had set my camera to WIDE focus area, as this seemed the best all-round setting.

 

51 minutes ago, XKAES said:

Last, you need to go into your set-up menus and set your camera to ONLY ALLOW THE SHUTTER TO FIRE WHEN THE SUBJECT IS IN FOCUS

I wish I had that! I don't think there's such a thing on the Sony A7Rii.

I'm also very puzzled that NOTHING is in focus - there is no focal zone.

[busterbboy]

On another matter, any idea why I cannot upload examples to this board? They are very small, 536kb jpegs

 

[XKAES]

I know the motor on that lens is quite, but does the lens auto-focus at all.  When you look through the viewfinder and press the shutter release half-way, does the lens adjust the focus?

[XKAES]

Page 69 of your manual shows that when the subject is in focus a green LED lights up in your viewfinder when the shutter release is gently pressed

And if you read further, you will probably find that you can set your shutter to RELEASE ONLY WHEN IN FOCUS.

[busterbboy]

47 minutes ago, XKAES said:

When you look through the viewfinder and press the shutter release half-way, does the lens adjust the focus?

No, it doesn't.

[busterbboy]

37 minutes ago, XKAES said:

Page 69 of your manual shows that when the subject is in focus a green LED lights up in your viewfinder when the shutter release is gently pressed

I've never seen that green light.

Thanks for your help and patience by the way!

 

[XKAES]

Do you have another auto-focusing lens to try?  Does it focus when you press the button?

If your lens does not adjust the focusing while you are pressing the shutter button, either the camera has a problem or the lens.

How long have you had this camera, and have you taken any photos with it that came out OK? 

Do you have a camera manual?

[Pieter]

10 hours ago, XKAES said:

And if you read further, you will probably find that you can set your shutter to RELEASE ONLY WHEN IN FOCUS.

I think the setting @XKAES refers to is this one, should be set to AF:

https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1520/v1/en/contents/TP0001098441.html

Do you see the green focus confirmation squares dancing on your screen when you half-press the shutter button? If not, could it be that focussing is not set to the shutter button? Check this setting:

https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1520/v1/en/contents/TP0001077108.html

Could also be that you have Direct Manual Focus enabled and you inadvertently turn the focus ring while focussing. Make sure DMF is turned off:

https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1520/v1/en/contents/TP0001077095.html

5 hours ago, XKAES said:

Do you have a camera manual?

Rhetorical question? Since he has internet, he has a manual.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Pieter

[busterbboy]

Pieter and XKAES - thank you, I am now a happy man!

I mostly use vintage glass, Nikon and Olympus and a beautiful old Russian lens - all manual focus of course - but my eyesight has got worse so I'm using the autofocus Zeiss lenses.

Changing setting to AF w/shutter on resolved my problems.

I changed the focus area to centre, and kept the priority set arc as balanced emphasis.

Great help, thank you very much.

 

[teampades]

I know the motor on that lens is quite, but does the lens auto-focus at all. 

[teampades]

Do you have another auto-focusing lens to try?  Does it focus when you press the button? 9apps

cartoon hd
 

[Pieter]

29 minutes ago, teampades said:

Does it focus when you press the button?

Have you even read anything beyond the initial post? You're trying to solve a problem that has already been solved...

On 2/13/2023 at 10:34 AM, busterbboy said:

Changing setting to AF w/shutter on resolved my problems.